True Love and Betrayal
by Perigrin and Meriadoc
Summary: Title will soon be changing so please take note...
1.

Author's Note: Hi everybody! Just like in our pen name there are two of us. This first chapter is a collaboration of ideas from the both of us, but most of it is my (Pippin's) work. Merry's stuff will be added in the next few chapters. Hope you enjoy! ^-^  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters except my original characters (Meruil and Arriekin so far). I wish Legolas were mine though ^- ^. * Indicates thoughts  
  
Chapter One  
  
???Meruil sat on the edge of her bed, the Princess Arwen pacing up and down in front of her. Meruil was Arwen's own personal handmaiden and they had been best friends since they were children. Now, according to the Lord Elnrod, they were to be separated, and Meruil reassigned to Legolas of the woodland realm, son of the king of Mirkwood. Meruil scowled as she thought of him.  
  
She had only met him once before, when he had come for Arwen's 2,500th birthday. He had been barley over 2,000 and he was already a snobbish, oppressive, jerk. Arwen had introduced the two of them, hoping they would become friends, but instead the young prince had given her a condescending look and walked off. That had been nearly 900 years before.  
  
"Well," said Arwen stopping in front of her, "I guess there is nothing we can do. I can't see a way to try and convince father to let you stay with me." Meruil looked up, her mouth wide open.  
  
"Milady, there has to be a way! I cannot be taken from your side! I . I. You. But."  
  
Arwen smiled gently at her stuttering friend and sat down next to her. "You will do this won't you?" she said. Meruil looked up, tears forming in her liquid golden eyes. "For me?"  
  
She looked back down at her hands. "Yes Milady. Of course."  
  
"Besides," Arwen said, hugging her quietly sobbing friend, rocking her back and forth, stroking her auburn hair. "It will only be for a few weeks. Just until Lord Legolas's wife is chosen and the coronation is over."  
  
"Four weeks with an elf that I loathe is not a very short time! It's not like if you were going to move into Aragorn's room!" cried Meruil getting up. "Excuse me Milady, but I need to get my things ready to move." She swept out of the door and left Arwen sitting on the bed, smiling slightly, behind her.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Legolas stepped down from his horse and looked around at his surroundings. It had been a long time since he had been to Rivendale, and then he had not been in the best of spirits. He had a feeling that he had left a bad impression on many of the people here. He sighed a little and walked towards the welcoming committee. One of the elves, walked towards him. His heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. Her long Auburn hair complimented her golden eyes and tan complexion perfectly. He privately hoped she was his guide and not his brother's (he was standing right behind him.) Arriekin did always seem to get the best-looking girls. She also seemed rather familiar.  
  
She sank into a low curtsy in front of him, he dress flowing gently around her. " My Lord Legolas." She said not looking up. "My name is Meruil, and I am to be your guide and handmaiden throughout your stay here at Rivendale."  
  
Legolas stifled a groan. He knew where she was from now. He remembered the party, and the young elf Arwen had tried to force upon him.  
  
"I shall show you to your room now. Please flow me." She said getting up and walking away quietly. Legolas hesitated a moment and then followed her. She led him through many halls and many gardens until they reached a large wooden door in what seemed to be the back of the city. She opened the door to reveal a large and spacious room with immaculate furniture and a grand balcony that over looked one of the more private gardens of Rivendale, and a beautiful waterfall. Legolas collapsed on the bed, which was large enough to fit at least four elves, and softer than the down of a gosling. Meruil turned and stared at him sprawled on the bed and had to stifle a gasp. His golden hair seemed to glow in the sun, and his blue eyes sparkled. He was much more handsome than the last time she had seen him.  
  
"Well My Lord. My quarters are right through this door, so if you need any thing, just ask." She started for the door, trying to fight the blush rising into her cheeks.  
  
"Meruil?" Said Legolas pushing himself up onto his elbows. She stopped and slowly turned to face him. "Would you like to talk for a little while? I mean get to know each other. We are going to have to spend four weeks with each other after all."  
  
"My Lord?" she asked. "I'm not sure what you mean."  
  
Legolas smiled. "Please just call me by my name. All this 'My Lord' business gets on my nerves. And as for what I mean." he said getting up and crossing the room, "I mean that you come over here," he took her hands and guided her to the edge of the bed and sat down pulling her with him, "And sit and talk with me."  
  
"About what My Lo. I mean Legolas." She said turning bright red.  
  
He smiled at her. "What ever you want."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The weeks had flown by. Each day Legolas would make sure to be with Meruil for a good portion of the day and if he was not with her he was talking to his best friend, Aragorn, about her.  
  
They went for walks and she showed him all around Rivendale, and they spent a great deal talking together, until they both felt as if they had known each other for many years and not just a few weeks. And each day he found he was falling more deeply in love with her.  
  
He was heart broken over this however, because it was against the laws of the elves for a prince (or soon to be king) to marry a person who was not of royal blood as well. It was especially forbidden to be in any sort of relationship with a handmaiden. And yet he knew he was in love with her.  
  
Legolas sat in a deep stupor, trying to sort out his feelings and his thoughts. *Even though I love her, she doesn't seem to return the feeling, or at least she doesn't act like it.but what if she does?. * His train of thought was broken however, when his father came sweeping in.  
  
"Hello my son!" he said brightly, sweeping towards Legolas. "How are we feeling today? The eve of you ceremony in the great Hall of the Vallar?"  
  
"Nervous"  
  
"And where is that beautiful handmaiden of yours?" He said smiling down at him.  
  
"In her room reading. She loves to read."  
  
"Well. I shall leave you for now. I will be back again in a while with Lord Elnrod to ready you for the ceremony. Good-bye!" And he swept back out again closing the large door behind him.  
  
Legolas sat still for a few moments, then got up and walked into Meruil's room, wanting to talk to her more now than ever. She was laying serenely on her daybed, a large green book covering her face, so he could not see it. He walked to the side of the bed and hesitated, not sure if he should sit or not. But love for the woman in front of him over took all his thought processes and he found himself sitting on the edge of the daybed, at her feet.  
  
"Meruil?" He whispered not looking at her. She lowered her book just enough to reveal her cool eyes. He glanced over at her and found that he could not speak, just mutter broken fragments of sentences. "I.just. you see. would you," he whispered leaning closer to her with each word. He found that the closer he got the lower down her book went. When he was about an inch from her face the book was all the way down and no longer anywhere near her face. He was suddenly at a loss for words, and she appeared to be very breathless. The next thing he knew he was kissing her with every last ounce of pent up emotion in his body and he also found, to his everlasting joy, that she was returning it to him. He ran one of his hands through her hair as he slid the other down her back, until he had the small of her back in his hand. He pressed her body closer to his and she moaned with longing and anticipation. He kissed he more feverishly and pulled her up with him so that they were sitting practically on top of each other.  
  
Meruil moved her hands from the back of his neck to the front of his tunic, where she began to untie the strings holding it together.  
  
He stopped kissing her, pulling back. Meruil stopped untying his shirt and looked at him with glowing eyes. She was afraid that he might reject her now, even after she had let him have the first true kiss she had ever given anyone. She looked down and away from him, her hands still on his chest.  
  
Legolas smiled at her scared form gently and said the three words he had saved for years to her. "I love you." At this Meruil looked back up at him her eyes sparkling with tears that had not fallen. He took her hands in his. "I love you with all my heart."  
  
She looked at him for a few more moments then whispered, "I love you too."  
  
He smiled again and rose; not letting go of her hands and lead her backwards into his room. He stopped next to the bed and, putting his arms around her, kissed as he began untying the back of her dress. She waited for just a moment and then began untying his tunic again. They only had each other halfway undressed when they fell backwards onto the bed. They lay together, still struggling out of their clothes and kissing more passionately with each passing moment when the knock on the door came.  
  
Legolas and Meruil sprang apart as if they had just been struck by lightning. The knock came again. Meruil ran to her door and franticly tried to open it, only to find that the door had locked. Legolas grabbed her from behind and turned her around, shoving her out onto the balcony, clutching the front of her clothing to keep it from falling. Just as her dress whipped out of sight Elnrod opened the door and walked in.  
  
All Elnrod needed was that one single look at Legolas, whose hair was mussed and tunic was still open, to know exactly what had happened. He had expected a romance might be developing between the elf and the maid, but nothing like this.  
  
"Hello Lord Elnrod."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Aragorn was out walking in the garden below Legolas's room when Meruil came flying out. She ran to the far left of the balcony, well out of sight from the room, but not Aragorn. He looked at her and sniggered. The appearance of the girl made it all to obvious what had happened. Her auburn hair was messy and her dress was sliding off her shoulders, and she was gasping for breath. Legolas had told him of her, how she was so beautiful and smart and funny and how he would only "save himself for her" and no one else.  
  
Suddenly a loud roar issued from his best friend's room, a yell that was all too familiar, Elnrod was in the room with Legolas; A few seconds later he came outside, in a towering rage. He looked to the right, towards Aragorn first.  
  
He decided he had to do something. "Ada!" he called. "Ada! Down here!" he smiled and waved at his faster father, who in turn looked down at him.  
  
"What do you want Aragorn?" He said looking down on him. Aragorn hesitated for a moment. His and Meruil's eyes met in that moment and she nodded. Aragorn kept talking to Elnrod for a few minutes until she was safely inside and he was sure Legolas would have her well hidden. He waved again and walked away; glad he had saved his friend from at least a little bit of trouble. *After all, tonight is the night of his ceremony.* 


	2. The Begining of it all

Authors note: Hi everyone! Chapter two of our story is now up!! I just wanted to apologize for all the mistakes and weird stuff that was going on with chapter one. I (Pippin) am slightly dyslexic and the letters on my keyboard like to try and change places on me. This is all Merry's writing; all I am to do is type it up and post it so you all can read it! Well I hope you enjoy. ^-^  
  
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine or Merry's except Sanleihe, Meruil and Legolas's brother. I think there is an Elvin lord who is ours as well. I bet Tolkien is rolling in his grave.  
  
Thank You To:  
  
Wowwiz8121: Thank you so much!!  
  
Perigrin and Meriadoc: MERRY BRANDYBUCK!!! DO NOT START TRYING TO FLAME YOUR OWN STORY YOU DOLT!  
  
Sorry about that. Merry gets on my nerves sometimes ^^;; Anyways! On with the story!!  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Eowyn smiled at Sanleihe encouragingly. She stood shivering outside the great Hall of the Valar, where Aragorn's best friend's bride was going to be announced. The King {Aragorn} had invited the steward and his family to come along, so naturally, they had. Faramir, Eowyn, and Sanleihe (Eowyn's best friend and second cousin from Rohan) had all come with the king and queen, while Gimli son of Gloin supervised the temporary stewards. "Come." Said Eowyn. 'The Great Hall of the Valar is supposed to look absolutely beautiful at these kind of ceremonies!"  
  
Sanleihe had never been to any kind of grand hall or place of the elves before and she was terrified. She hid behind Eowyn as they walked into the beautiful room, bright in contrast with the dark outside, and it was crowded. Sanleihe scanned the room quickly and saw that tables and chairs surrounded the entire place, as well as the middle area of the room. This space was all very crowded with men and elves. The front of the room however, had very few people in it. There was also a large open rostrum in the back of the room, and in front of that was a large dance floor. The musicians were tucked away in a corner, playing lively music. She quaked at the sight of so many people, most of which were elves. She had never been with so many people in the same room in her whole life. Eowyn half dragged her terrified friend to a table near the middle of the room.  
  
Sanleihe felt very plain in the grand hall filled with both men and women wearing elaborate outfits in bright colors. She looked down at her plain white and brown dress. It was considered finery for a woman from Rohan, but here, she wasn't so sure.  
  
"Eowyn, I don't belong here. Please let me go." She pleaded. She couldn't even remember why she had let Eowyn bring her in the first place.  
  
"Oh come on! Don't leave me by myself." Eowyn smiled at her again, then pointed to a person behind her. "Look there's Aragorn. Let us go talk to him!" She pushed Sanleihe through the crowds towards him. He turned around and saw Eowyn pushing Sanleihe and smiled.  
"Eowyn! I have not seen you since you returned from Rohan all those months ago!" he said laughing as he embraced her. He then turned to Sanleihe. "And who is this?"  
  
"This is my friend from Rohan, Sanleihe," said Eowyn smiling even more than before. "She's not used to these kind of ceremonies. She feels a bit awkward." Aragorn smiled understandingly at her. Then he extended his hand towards her.  
  
"Come. I shall give you the grand tour."  
  
"I do not wish to leave my friend alone, sir." She whispered not looking at him.  
  
"Aragorn! Sanleihe! Eowyn!" said Faramir, coming up behind them. "How are you all?" "Faramir!" said Eowyn delightedly, embracing him.  
  
"Care to dance?" said Faramir. Eowyn nodded and smiled again at Sanleihe as she was lead off to the dance floor.  
  
"Come," said Aragorn taking Sanleihe's hand. "We can look for Meruil."  
  
"Who is she My Lord?"  
  
"She is an elf whom I am supposed to be keeping away from the Lord Legolas, who is the guest of honor, by order of Lord Elnrod. I seem to have lost her." he said smiling again.  
  
They wove in and out of the crowd, Aragorn keeping a running commentary on all the people who were supposed to be of any interest or importance. Somehow with the lazy way Aragorn would tell her all about an important advisor, almost as if he found them all boring (which he later told her he did.) She quickly lost her shyness and was soon laughing with Aragorn as he made fun of all Elnrod's weird little quirks. Suddenly Aragorn sighed.  
  
"I can't seem to find Meruil and I've already finished giving you the entire tour... Care to dance?" Sanleihe was a bit shocked that he asked, but as she no longer was feeling so uncomfortable, she slightly curtsied.  
  
"I would be honored Lord Aragorn, although I must warn you, I'm not very good at it."  
  
Aragorn laughed as he pulled her to the dance floor. "Neither am I, and please, I'm Aragorn....just Aragorn."  
  
the musicians began a lively tune with a quick paced rhythm and Aragorn pulled Sanleihe close, both of them trying to keep up with the beat. They flew across the dance floor together, neither of them faltering. Sanleihe found that she did not falter under Aragorn's steady guide.  
  
"I thought you said you could not dance." Aragorn said, just loud enough for her to hear.  
  
"Ah," she said slyly back, smiling, "But you told me you couldn't either."  
To her everlasting disappointment, the song ended quickly, and the next thing she knew, Aragorn was leading her away from the dance floor. After they had regained their breath he began to dismiss himself, for the Elvish royals had spotted him, and were calling him over. Sanleihe quickly offered to go with him, before he could leave her alone, stranded and lost.  
  
"Are you sure? It is very, well, boring. All they do I talk about politics and what this or that Lord is doing..." Aragorn sighed. The thought of having to be "King" and go be sociable with all the Lords and advisors.  
  
"I'll endure it, at least until I find Eowyn. Please don't leave me alone." she said, almost pitifully.  
  
Aragorn laughed, Sanleihe, well; he was quite taken with her. She didn't act as if he was the King at all; it was nice to finally have a lady other than Arwen treat him as if he was normal, he had forgotten how women really acted around men. He nodded, offering his arm to her. "I would be honored to be accompanied by such a lovely lady."  
  
Sanleihe blushed as she took his arm. Suddenly, realization hit her. This was the High King of Men, Foster son to Lord Elnrod of Rivendale, and husband to the Lady Arwen. She was now embarrassed of the way she had acted, she had most definitely forgot her place. But Lord Aragorn didn't seem to mind...He really did seem to like her. She fidgeted a little, nervously twirling her hair with her free hand.  
  
She reflected on how she looked tonight. She had straight, light brown hair that barley reached past her shoulders, pale skin, despite constant time in the sun, and hazel green eyes. Sanleihe hated her eyes, they were not hazel and they were not green, it was a mixture of both colors that made it hard to say exactly what color they were. They weren't one, beautiful color, like so many of the, as she noticed, flawlessly beautiful ladies around her.  
  
"This is Eottheain, the Chancellor of Lorithien." Aragorn whispered in her ear. Sanleihe was jolted out of her thoughts and smiled graciously at the Chancellor. The pompous elf began to nag Aragorn about the condition of some trade route, and went on for quite some time before Aragorn was finally able o move on, Sanleihe still at his side.  
  
"Sorry," Aragorn said in undertones, "I know he's a bit, well, stuck up, but it's better to be polite and stay on his good side."  
  
"Stuck up?" Sanleihe asked. "I would have used far stronger words, but those work." Aragorn laughed, making Sanleihe smile. *At least I can make him laugh...*  
  
Several Chancellors, advisors, and Lords later, Aragorn was getting sick of his duties, and asked Sanleihe if she would walk around the veranda with him. Sanleihe suspected that he had only asked because he felt guilty about leaving her here alone, but she did not mind, and accepted his invitation.  
  
They went outside. It was peaceful and quiet. They walked around the huge veranda slowly, for a while, silent. Then, to her surprise, Aragorn began to question her about her life, her travels, and how long she would be staying. The conversation turned to Aragorn's past, and soon he was animatedly talking about his adventures during the war that ended he Third Age.  
  
They laughed for a few moments, and then lapsed into silence. They rounded a corner, and stopped dead. There were two silhouettes, a woman and man, and they were only separated by a few inches their hands clasped. The woman was obviously crying. The man let go of her hands and embraced her tightly, stroking her hair, then lifted her face and kissed her...  
  
Sanleihe averted her eyes embarrassedly, and looked at Aragorn who had narrowed his eyes.  
  
"So... that is where she went..." He said under his breath. Then he straightened up and called out, "Legolas!"  
  
The man sprang away from the woman, stepping into the light that from the hall, and Sanleihe saw that he was a magnificent looking elf, and the one behind him was also an elf, which was just as beautiful. It was obvious that he was not sure who was confronting him. The elf called Legolas saw it w Aragorn, and his face fell.  
  
Aragorn walked up to Legolas and put a hand on his shoulder, his eyes full of pity, and rage at the same time. "Come Legolas."  
  
"Yes Aragorn..." said Legolas stiffly. Aragorn moved away guiding Legolas beside him, back inside the hall.  
  
Sanleihe watched them go, fidgeting nervously. She glanced sideways at the woman, whom she had guessed by now was Meruil, and muttered, "I'll go now." she got to the doorway, but paused. She didn't want to stay out here, but she didn't want to back inside to be with all the unfamiliar people either.  
  
"I'll go with you," said a soft, fluid voice behind her. She jumped. She turned around and saw Meruil looking at her. She decided it would be better to go with company, so she agreed.  
  
"Alright, I need to find Lady Eowyn anyway..."  
  
Well, that's it for chapter two! Hope you all enjoyed it! Please review... We live for reviews... ^-^ 


	3. Fires are Kindled

Chapter Three:  
  
Author's Note: Chapter 3... MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!! I (Pippin) am an evil wench!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Well actually, not all that evil, not yet anyway. Oh well, hope you all enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters are ours (unfortunately), except Meruil, Sanleihe, Legolas's brother and the chancellor.  
  
Thank You To:  
  
Mayfaery: Thank you so much!! I loved your review! Merry and I got a really good laugh out of that one!!! ^_^  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Aragorn was in a towering rage.  
  
"You should know better than that!" he whispered angrily, gripping Legolas's shoulder a little harder than necessary.  
  
Legolas grimaced and tried to move away from him. "But Aragorn, I can't help it... I love her..." he whispered back, a mistake on his part.  
  
Aragorn gripped his shoulder do hard that Legolas hissed in pain and almost fell, because his knees had buckled under him. "You know you can't do that! It's against the traditions, the laws!!! YOU ARE ROYALTY. A Prince, about to be a King..."  
  
"Yeah!" Said Legolas, not bothering to keep his voice low anymore, his brow furrowed angrily. "Well maybe I don't want to be a King!" Several people turned and stared. "Maybe I just want to be a regular person for once!" He wrenched himself free of Aragorn and stormed off into the crowd.  
  
Aragorn stared after him. "I never really wanted to be a King either," he whispered. He sighed. He watched Legolas push between a tight group of people and disappear from sight. *Where is Arwen?* For the first time he realized that he hadn't seen her all evening. He walked through the crowded hall, looking for her. He found her talking to Meruil on the other side; they seemed to be deep in conversation.  
  
"My Ladies," Aragorn said, and they looked up at him. He looked sternly at Meruil. "Where is Sanleihe?"  
  
"Oh," Said Meruil quietly, "She found Lady Eowyn and went to join her and Lord Faramir." She motioned towards the other end of the hall. "They are over there somewhere..." She said all of this to the floor rather than to Aragorn.  
  
"And who is this Sanleihe?" questioned Arwen, frowning slightly, looking at Aragorn.  
  
"She is a friend of Eowyn's. She had never been to a elvish ceremony before, nor seen any elves, so I gave her a tour of the hall and kept her company for a while, until she got her bearings." He smiled gently at Arwen's frown.  
  
"And where is Lord Legolas?" questioned Meruil quietly.  
  
"He is no longer any concern of yours, as I have spoken to Lord Elnrod and had you assigned back to Arwen." He said venomously, rounding on Meruil, his eyes flashing with obvious contempt.  
  
The next thing He knew he was facing the other way, and a sharp tingling sensation was searing his cheek. He turned back around and looked at Meruil, who stood with a resolute expression and her fists balled, as if daring him to say another word. The area around them had gone silent.  
  
Aragorn stared coldly at her, but he smiled and gave a slight bow. "I'll tell Legolas you send your regards." He turned to Arwen. "Arwen." he said, bowing slightly again. With that he turned and walked away. He had just about made it to the opposite end of the hall, to a secluded corner where he thought he could sort out his thoughts, when a voice whispered in his ear.  
  
"My Lord Aragorn?"  
  
He turned to address the person and was stunned to see it was Meruil. She was very flushed. She sank into a low curtsy, not daring to look at him as he stared at the floor.  
  
"My Lord..." her voice wavered. "Please forgive me for my actions. I do not know what came over me, I apologize." Then she rose and looked him straight in the eye. He was surprised to see them glittering fiercely, as if a fire hotter than those of Mount Doom was smoldering behind them. "But I ask you not to mention Lord Legolas in front of me again."  
  
Aragorn looked at her bewilderedly.  
  
"You do not know how hard it is to love someone you are forbidden to, and then to know that even if you were together that you could never be truly happy because you would be thought to be lower than the earth upon which you walk," her voice hardened with each word she spoke. "And to be treated as such by people like you."  
  
She turned away, narrowing her eyes over her shoulder as she did so. "And you had better thank the Valar you don't."  
  
Aragorn caught her by the arm and turned her back around, so he could look her directly in the eye as he spoke. "If it was up to me, I would see my best friend marry whomever he wants, but Lord Thranduil and Lord Elnrod would have his head and mine if such a thing was to be! All I am trying to do is keep him from getting into anymore trouble than he already is in!"  
  
Meruil's expression softened. The fire behind her eyes seemed to lessen as she spoke. "I know," she whispered so only he could hear. "Thank you..." she smiled slightly and pulled away from him, losing herself in the crowd.  
  
Aragorn nodded and turned to go to his corner when he heard someone call his name. He heaved a great sigh and turned to see Elnrod beckoning to him from the front of the dais. He sighed again. *Time to be a King again...*  
  
Sorry, this chapter is kind of short, but it helps set up for chapter 4 nicely. I also want to apologize for the technical difficulties I seem to be having... Finals week just came and I have been rather stressed and more scatterbrained than usual... Well hope you enjoyed it!! Please review... ^-^ 


	4. Heart Breaker

Author's note: Hello! Chapter four is promising to be a very angsty one, so get your tissue boxes out folks! It only goes down hill from here!! Oh! Just to let everyone know, Merry and I are putting up a new fanfic (Harry Potter) soon, and are hoping to begin another ( we write out all our fanfics before they ever see the computer [We're already up to chapter twenty on this one...]) that is humorous, and not full of angst. Well, maybe a little angst...  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, none of the characters that you recognize are ours...  
  
Thank you's:  
Rachel13: You can blame the delay for this chapter on your damn gorillas...  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Legolas pushed his way through the crowd to the front of the room, looking for Elnrod. He would not have bothered except for the fact that as he had sat peacefully in his quiet corner, he saw Aragorn coming up and then Meruil stop him, bow down to him... He let out a frustrated growl; he wanted answers. *Like whom the idiot was that said royalty couldn't marry those of a lower class...*  
  
Suddenly someone grabbed his arm. He jumped and twirled around to see his father, smiling at him.  
  
"Legolas, it is time."  
  
Legolas blanched. He had been dreading this moment all night.  
  
His father seemed to not have noticed though, for he simply said "Come." and began to pull him through the crowd.  
Legolas followed Thranduil up to the large open dais and stood next to Aragorn. His eyes nervously swept the crowd, all of whose eyes were on him. He paled even more, his nerves getting the better of him; he was on the edge of a breakdown. He felt Aragorn put a steadying hand on his shoulder. He looked back into the crowd and saw Meruil...  
  
"The Lords have chosen!" announced Elnrod loudly, silencing the crowd with a wave of his hand...  
  
She was standing alone, her arms wrapped around her slim frame...  
  
"The wife and life long companion of the Lord Legolas of Mirkwood shall be..."  
  
She smiled at him sadly and turned her back to him, walking out of the hall, her hair glistening in the moonlight...  
  
"Lady Dimhenwen of Lothlorien!" The crowd around him cheered as they pushed a young elf with long blonde hair and gray eyes, a stark contrast to his beloved, up onto the dais with him. She smiled shyly at him.  
  
He took her hands in his and faked a smile, his heart breaking.  
  
"I accept you as my bride, my wife, and my queen," he said, the age-old answer sliding from his mouth with feigned ease. The girl blushed. Legolas bent down and kissed her while the crowd cheered.  
  
His already broken heart shattered.  
  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know its short, but it tells a lot. I nearly made Merry cry when she read it. I am evil... MWAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!! 


	5. Maybe

Author's Note: Lo' everybody. Hope you enjoyed chapter four, chapter five promises to have a slight uplift in tone, Emotional roller coasters are always so fun to put characters through. This is another combo chapter; next solo chapter won't be for a while. I hope to have the Harry Potter story, to be titled Say Hello to a Brand New Day, and the first chapter of our new LOTR story entitled sing for the Moment up by this weekend. Well that is enough ranting on for now... On with the story.  
  
Disclaimer: nOpE, NoT oUrS...wIsH ThEy WeRe ThOuGh...^-^  
  
Thank you to:  
  
Chapter Five.....  
  
Aragorn felt growing anger and sorrow rising in his chest as he watched Legolas struggle to keep his composure.  
  
He had gone to speak with Elnrod about Legolas, and how he should be allowed to pick his own bride, to let tradition fall to the wayside for once in his life... Aragorn had avoided his Ada all day, as he didn't want him to start yelling again.  
  
When Legolas kissed his new bride, Aragorn could see his heart break. Legolas's shoulders sagged, the radiant glow that always seemed to surround the elves, dissipated, and when he opened his eyes again, Aragorn saw that the usual mischievous, laughing sparkle was gone from them. In one moment he became a mere shadow of the person he had been all his life.  
  
It made Aragorn want to weep with pity and scream with suppressed rage all at the same time. Trying to distract himself, he searched the crowd for Sanliehe. Eowyn and the rest of contingency had been here earlier, but they might not have stayed the entire evening. Somewhere in the background Elnrod was speaking.  
  
"It is time for he bride and groom to retire, for tomorrow they wed!"  
  
There was another loud roar of approval as the two elves were lead from the hall. Aragorn lead Legolas down a different hall, towards his room, away from the Dimhenwen and the roar of he crowd. Once alone Legolas's composer vanished, and Aragorn stopped, letting Legolas collapse against him sobbing. Aragorn wrapped an arm around Legolas's shoulders, fighting to suppress his own tears.  
  
Aragorn stood quietly, letting his friend cry his tears. It struck Aragorn as funny that Legolas could even cry. In all the years he had known him, (and that had been since before Aragorn's mother had died) he had never seen the elf cry. After a few minutes Legolas spoke, breaking the uneasy silence.  
  
"By the Valar Aragorn...what am I going to do?" he chocked out, hiccoughing, tears still streaming down his face.  
  
"Honestly, I don't think there's anything we can do." Aragorn said sympathetically.  
  
"I know. And that's what makes it worse." he hiccoughed again. "I'm never going to see her again..." he broke down again, his body racked with fresh sobs, and he leaned on Aragorn again.  
  
Aragorn could feel his insides twist with guilt as he watched his friend cry helplessly. After all he was the one who had separated the two of them earlier, and now Legolas was supposed to be confined to his rooms with absolutely no visitors until his wedding day because of him.  
  
"I should go..." his friend said, trying to stem the nonstop flow of tears. "Before anyone else sees me crying like this..."  
  
"You, by the order of Lord Elnrod, are to report to your room and are not to leave once you get thee, nor are you allowed to entertain guests." Aragorn said, straightening up. "There will be posted by both doors to assure that you follow these orders..." he paused and looked meaningfully at Legolas. "But no one is guarding the balconies."  
  
Legolas looked up at him hopefully. Aragorn merely nodded.  
  
"Go. Now."  
  
A little of the glow returned to Legolas's eyes, and he nodded. Aragorn smiled at him.  
  
"I shall see you later." then he turned and walked away. He had to find Meruil...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Meruil sat, the cold and damp riddling her thin frame, a fine mist silhouetting her against the pale moon, the waterfall creating a fine veil over the rock where she sat. Her appearance was quite different of that at the ball. Her glowing beauty was gone, replaced by a gaunt, harried look. She was rapidly wasting away form the grief hat ravaged her very soul as she sat in the moonlight. She did not shine, but was pale and cold, as if death was sinking into her very veins. She looked as if she would never recover from the ache that sat deep in her heart. She had cried, the tear stains on her face wee evidence enough of that, but now she could find no more tears to cry, so she rocked back and forth sobbing dryly.  
  
She froze as she felt someone wrap a warm cloak about her shoulders from behind. She turned her head only slightly to see Aragorn standing behind her, a look of concern on his face. Then she turned back to the waterfall, sniffling. Aragorn walked around her, and then grasped her hands, lifting her up from her stony perch.  
  
"Come." he said. "Legolas is waiting."  
  
She stared at him in shock for a few moments, and then asked in a most puzzled voice, "But how can he be waiting? It is fordidde...."  
  
"I mean he is waiting for you."  
  
"But how?! I thought he was..." Aragorn placed a finger on her lips silencing her.  
  
"Just- Trust me." he turned and began to walk off, not looking back.  
  
He did not have to. Meruil was after him in a flash, holding the cloak tightly around her. Aragorn led her all the way to his quarters on the opposite side of the city. He paused before the two huge and intricately carved doors. He turned to her smiling and opened the door, bowing her in. She went to pass, but stopped. She turned and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you...for everything..." then she turned and went in.  
  
Aragorn shut the door still smiling. It was time h went to visit Arwen...  
  
I am an ass. TO put it in the sweetest terminology possible. I started typing this chapter over a month ago and just now finished it... watch it take me another week to update the stupid thing... There might be a slight delay n other chapters, as we are in the process of finishing the Hp story, writing our new LOTR story and finishing up the last few details on the sequel... That's right. You heard me. In the time I've been goofing off like a lame ass, we finished writing this story *SOB* (almost 50 chapters!!!) And are about 1/64 of the way through a stunning sequel. LOVELY... weellllll, I've got tons more typing to do, so I had better get going...  
  
Reviews breath life into our doomed souls...come on people give us air.... 


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